A SERVICE established to provide practical advice to help manufacturing companies improve their productivity and competitiveness is proving a success.

According to the latest figures, the Government's Manufacturing Advisory Service (Mas) has helped UK companies make improvements to their business totalling more than £28m, an average of £116,000 for every company helped.

The service is co-ordinated through ten regional centres. the North-East centre is at RTC North, in Sunderland.

A report, launched by Trade and Industry Secretary Patricia Hewitt, shows that the service has:

* Responded to more than 15,400 inquiries from firms seeking advice;

* Visited more than 4,500 companies to carry out a "health check";

* Gone on to complete almost 1,000 consultancies.

Ms Hewitt said: "The Manufacturing Advisory Service is one of our great success stories. Today's figures clearly show the benefits of focused, practical, hands-on advice.

"The results are a tribute to the care and dedication shown by all the staff at every Mas centre."

She said: "In an increasingly competitive global economy, British manufacturers must constantly find new ways to innovate to produce the best possible product. Mas is playing a key role by helping UK manufacturers share knowledge so they compete at the very cutting edge."

Mas North-East regional director Cameron Ross said: "By September 2003, the centre had dealt with 800 inquiries and added value to a significant number of manufacturing organisations in the North-East.

"Servicing companies in all sectors, our team of manufacturing specialists have shopfloor experience in product design, machining, polymer chemistry, materials science, automation and process improvement and offer free consultancy on a short or long term basis."

Martin Temple, chairman of the Engineering Employers Federation, said: "The true measure of any successful programme is for good practical advice to quickly translate into tangible benefits.

"Mas is delivering this, and EEF, through a number of our regional associations, is delighted to be playing a part in its success."